FKAS wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 7:08 pmI'm hoping it's Bailey because at his age a breakthrough season would be very useful and hopefully provide a long term answer to questions over the Tigers 10 shirt.
Is that "breakthrough season" in the same way that Will Evans had his "breakthrough season" at Quins, despite 40 appearances for Leicester?
You'd have to think that Landi's breakthrough season was 2021-2 or 2022-3 - both seasons with a couple of dozen appearances, and 15+ starts (not to mention an Eddie-special England "appearance").
I'm very unsure that anyone at all can have a "breakthrough" season when they've already got 100+ appearances for their club.
Beyond that, Bailey was better than Searle 3 years ago - he's since had 2 years learning from Russell (albeit with consequently limited game time)
I was thinking more like Evans breakout season with Quins. A breakout for a new club following a move from being the backup to the starter.
I'm expecting/hoping to see Bailey take the opportunity by the scruff of the neck and really ink his name onto the team sheet at 10. He's got enough about him and the regular game time should suit his further development. He'll have some nice options in the Tigers midfield to support him with a secondary playmaker in Woodward and then one of two bosh options at 13. Some pacey wingers that can finish with an almost third centre at 15 who can also be used as a clearance option. It's a solid set up for him to come into with, for once at Tigers, a good attack coach who's coming into his second season.
Puja wrote: ↑Sat Aug 16, 2025 7:43 pm
Australia achieved the incredible feat today of the largest possible transfer of points possible outside of tbe RWC in the rankings system. The system caps out at 2.00 ranking points for a non RWC win, with a 50% bonus for winning by more than 15 points to bring a maximum of 3.00. SA lucky that there's a cap - by my reckoning, they'd've lost 3.55 points for that thumping.
Drops SA to third, behind NZ and Ireland, and brings Australia up to 6th - still a distance behind us, but they'd overtake if they beat us at Twickenham now.
Puja
That last try by Cowan-Dickie yesterday to take the margin of victory over 15 points was especially useful then.
Puja wrote: ↑Sat Aug 16, 2025 7:43 pm
Australia achieved the incredible feat today of the largest possible transfer of points possible outside of tbe RWC in the rankings system. The system caps out at 2.00 ranking points for a non RWC win, with a 50% bonus for winning by more than 15 points to bring a maximum of 3.00. SA lucky that there's a cap - by my reckoning, they'd've lost 3.55 points for that thumping.
Drops SA to third, behind NZ and Ireland, and brings Australia up to 6th - still a distance behind us, but they'd overtake if they beat us at Twickenham now.
Puja
That last try by Cowan-Dickie yesterday to take the margin of victory over 15 points was especially useful then.
Indeed - we took some of Australia's winnings from them and gave the Scots hope of making it up to 6th before the RWC draw. The NZ win over Ireland means that, if we win all of our AIs, we should end up ranked at least 3rd by the end of the year (interestingly enough, that's regardless of if Scotland pull off an upset next weekend - if they win, it'll give us fewer points for beating New Zealand and mean that Ireland would likely stay ahead, but it would strip NZ of enough points that they'd go behind us).
However, that does require us to win the matches first. I think it's what we should be expecting to do, given the weakened state of the ABs, but it's hardly guaranteed.
Although the ABs have been up and down in terms of performance, there is a consistent (but potentially coincidental) pattern. When Roigard plays, they almost always win. When he doesn't, they don't.
I'd never wish injury on any player, but maybe just a little tummy bug or something?!
Beat New Zealand at the weekend and we go third (above Ireland). Poor old Ireland can't gain any ranking points, as Australia's loss to Italy now has them so low that they're not even considered a rankable challenge. They will have a good chance to get ranking points the week after against SA though.
It is technically possible for us to go 2nd this autumn, but it would require either us winning both remaining games by 16+ or Wales to perform a miracle, combined with Ireland losing to South Africa. Seems unlikely.
Just been pointed out to me that the Wales vs Japan game is effectively a knockout game for the last spot in Band 2 for the RWC qualifying. Lose that, and Wales could in theory be in a group with South Africa and Australia.
Puja wrote: ↑Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:13 am
Just been pointed out to me that the Wales vs Japan game is effectively a knockout game for the last spot in Band 2 for the RWC qualifying. Lose that, and Wales could in theory be in a group with South Africa and Australia.
Puja
Has anyone got Tandy's number? I suspect he's still awake and wouldn't be averse to a call to chat about literally anything else.
We can only stay third if Ireland lose to South Africa, although frankly, I'll still be cheering for Ireland just because of how annoying the Boks fans are.
Possible to get to 2nd if Wales pull off the impossible, but other than that, it's not possible for us to move anywhere else, unless we take a 16+ gubbing from Argentina (in which case both they and France would move above us).
Am I the only one really annoyed that Ford missed that final conversion? By my count if he’d kicked it, we’d go second with a win against NZ.
I know the rankings are pretty irrelevant (France and New Zealand impacted by France taking a second team there this summer for instance) but feels like it would be good to see us in second and chasing the Boks down.
Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Mon Nov 17, 2025 9:51 pm
Am I the only one really annoyed that Ford missed that final conversion? By my count if he’d kicked it, we’d go second with a win against NZ.
I know the rankings are pretty irrelevant (France and New Zealand impacted by France taking a second team there this summer for instance) but feels like it would be good to see us in second and chasing the Boks down.
Your calculations are slightly off - even with a 16 point victory, we'd still be a smidge behind NZ... actually, having said that, it's my calculations that are off - I worked this out pre-game that we couldn't get to second even with big wins over both NZ and Arg, but I had assumed the Scots would beat the Argentines and didn't take into account the points they'd acquire from an away victory. As such, you are correct - if he had got the conversion, we could then have overtaken NZ with a 16+ win over Argentina. However, if we win a Grand Slam, we'll be second anyway and frankly I think we'll actually deserve it if we can do that.
Puja wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 12:26 am
[However, if we win a Grand Slam, we'll be second anyway and frankly I think we'll actually deserve it if we can do that.
Well, obviously.
Any team that beats all bar one of the top 10 + Wales in a six month period deserves to be in the top 2 in the world. Especially if those wins also give them a 16 match winning run.
Puja wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 12:26 am
[However, if we win a Grand Slam, we'll be second anyway and frankly I think we'll actually deserve it if we can do that.
Well, obviously.
Any team that beats all bar one of the top 10 + Wales in a six month period deserves to be in the top 2 in the world. Especially if those wins also give them a 16 match winning run.
Okay, fair, probably a bit obvious. The point was more than being 2nd now would feel more like a quirk of the numbers, rather than a real ranking. I don't feel like we can say we're really above Ireland and France after a one-off game and would only feel confident claiming that if we beat them both.
A lot of media outlets are assuming that the RWC seedings are already set in stone before the last (official) week of the AIs, given that Argentina's win over Scotland leaves them unable to be overtaken by Australia or Scotland, and Wales's win over Japan has settled the debate over 12th and 13th. However, that's because those outlets have not spotted that France's weakened tour followed by an underwhelming autumn, combined with Australia losing to Italy, has technically left them vulnerable. If Australia were to win by 16+ points, then the points transfer would be sufficient to put Argentina 5th, Australia 6th, and France 7th.
Unlikely? Yes. But it'd make for a hell of an interesting RWC draw.
Also available this weekend - any Scotland loss to Tonga would see the first time in the rankings' history (I believe) that Italy were ahead of two 6N sides in the rankings
Danno wrote: ↑Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:49 pm
"Hello? William Hill? I have twenty English pounds and really, reeeeaaaally want this bet to go off"
Tbh, if it comes off, it's a good one to remember if you're sent back in time and want to Biff Tannen your way to riches. I think, from the start of the AIs, it's only possible for France to finish 7th with this particular set of results (barring them losing to Fiji): France lose to SA, Australia lose to England, Italy, and Ireland, and Argentina beat Scotland.
Danno wrote: ↑Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:49 pm
"Hello? William Hill? I have twenty English pounds and really, reeeeaaaally want this bet to go off"
Tbh, if it comes off, it's a good one to remember if you're sent back in time and want to Biff Tannen your way to riches. I think, from the start of the AIs, it's only possible for France to finish 7th with this particular set of results (barring them losing to Fiji): France lose to SA, Australia lose to England, Italy, and Ireland, and Argentina beat Scotland.
Puja
I am forever waiting for the moment I wake up naked and slimy while screaming "what year?" alternating with "did I miss something fun?"
Danno wrote: ↑Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:49 pm
"Hello? William Hill? I have twenty English pounds and really, reeeeaaaally want this bet to go off"
Tbh, if it comes off, it's a good one to remember if you're sent back in time and want to Biff Tannen your way to riches. I think, from the start of the AIs, it's only possible for France to finish 7th with this particular set of results (barring them losing to Fiji): France lose to SA, Australia lose to England, Italy, and Ireland, and Argentina beat Scotland.
Puja
I am forever waiting for the moment I wake up naked and slimy while screaming "what year?" alternating with "did I miss something fun?"
Happened to me once and the long-suffering Mrs Mellsblue was not impressed. I think her words were “I wish you’d stop drinking on the coach back from away matches”.
Tbh, if it comes off, it's a good one to remember if you're sent back in time and want to Biff Tannen your way to riches. I think, from the start of the AIs, it's only possible for France to finish 7th with this particular set of results (barring them losing to Fiji): France lose to SA, Australia lose to England, Italy, and Ireland, and Argentina beat Scotland.
Puja
I am forever waiting for the moment I wake up naked and slimy while screaming "what year?" alternating with "did I miss something fun?"
Happened to me once and the long-suffering Mrs Mellsblue was not impressed. I think her words were “I wish you’d stop drinking on the coach back from away matches”.
The most impressive thing was the efficiency, considering it was only a coach back from Ampthill.
I am forever waiting for the moment I wake up naked and slimy while screaming "what year?" alternating with "did I miss something fun?"
Happened to me once and the long-suffering Mrs Mellsblue was not impressed. I think her words were “I wish you’d stop drinking on the coach back from away matches”.
The most impressive thing was the efficiency, considering it was only a coach back from Ampthill.
Happened to me once and the long-suffering Mrs Mellsblue was not impressed. I think her words were “I wish you’d stop drinking on the coach back from away matches”.
The most impressive thing was the efficiency, considering it was only a coach back from Ampthill.
